Explore Art in Downtown State College with Centred Outdoors Program

This coming week’s ClearWater Conservancy Centred Outdoors events are right in the heart of State College. Guided walking tours of the art downtown will be offered, as well as a Wellness Wednesday Drum Circle.

The Downtown State College Art Walk includes murals, sculptures and memorials for participants to witness, according to the Centred Outdoors website, and the tours will be guided by Joseph Quinn.

Quinn is the events and operations specialist for the Downtown State College Improvement District, and he said this won’t be the first time he’s given Art Walk tours.

The free walks will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 6, as well as 9 to 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 10.

Quinn said during the tours he will talk about the different types of public art that can be found downtown and “how they’ve come to be,” because the stories behind the pieces aren’t always known.

The walks will stay “within a few blocks” of the heart of State College, according to Quinn, and they will start at 3 Dots Downtown, 137 E. Beaver Ave. Attendees will walk along Pugh Street, Calder Way and College Avenue at various points during the “figure-eight” path.

Quinn said those attending should make sure to bring water. Centred Outdoors recommends using a water bottle that can hold at least 32 ounces or more per adult for its free, guided events.

His favorite part of the art downtown is the variety in terms of style and age. Quinn said the stories behind the works are interesting, as well as the ways community members collaborated to create some of the large murals throughout town.

The Downtown State College Art Walk brochure can be found online and used to explore by anyone who isn’t able to attend the Centred Outdoors events.

The Wellness Wednesday Drum Circle will be offered from 6-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 9, at Sidney Friedman Parklet.

The drum circle will be presented by the Jana Marie Foundation, an organization dedicated to “opening minds and saving lives” through educational programming and community mobilization to empower young people in the Centre County region.

More information about upcoming events through Centred Outdoors can be found at CentredOutdoors.org. There will continue to be free guided hikes offered to the public throughout the summer to encourage Centre County residents to spend more time outdoors.